Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



1. F. ocoNNoR. i FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBIIIIG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. l0. 192|.

Patented Nov. 2L 1192i 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Jifattended Nov. 21, 1922.

UNTER@ 'fiarfft JOI-IN F. OCONNOR, CHICAGO, ILLINOS, ASSIGNOR T0 WILLIAM H. MINER, OF

' CHAZY, NEW YORK.

FRIC'IION SHOCK-ABSORBING*MECHANISVL Application led December 107 1921.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and use-- ful improvement in Friction Shock-absorb ing Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

The object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism designed primarily for use in railway dra-ft rigging and wherein the parts are so arrangedthat, during the compression stroke, the wedge is free from direct spring resistance but, at the initiation of the release action, a part of the spring resistance or reactive effort is automatically transferred to the wedge to thereby facilitate and accelerate its disengagement from the friction shoes and thus permit all of the parts being restored to normal.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a horizontal, longitudinal, sectional view of a portion of a rail way draft rigging showing my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is'a longitudinal, horizontal, sectional view, parts broken away, cor responding to Figure 1 but illustrating the condition of the parts at the initiation of the release action. Figure 4 is a vertical transverse, sectional view of the shock absorbing mechanism proper corresponding to the linel 14 0f' Figure 1 and upon a somewhat larger'scale. Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detail perspectives of the wedge, the plunger, a frame, an inner wedge, and a friction shoe, respectively, employed in my construction.

In said drawings, 10--10 denote channel draft sills of a car underframe having front and rear stop lugs 11 and 12, respectively, secured to the inner faces thereof. A portion of a drawbar is indicated-at 13, the same being operatively associated with the shock absorbing mechanism proper by a hooded cast yoke 14 and coupler key 15. The shock absorbing mechanism proper and a Serial No. 521,298.

front follower1 16 are mounted within the yoke, and the parts are sustained in cperative position by a detachable saddle plate 17.

The improved shock absorbing mechanism, proper, as shown, comprises a combined frictionsh'ell and spring cage casting A.; a spring resistance B a pair of friction shoes C-C; a main wedge D; a plunger E; a spring follower F; a frame or shoe follower G; auxiliary wedges H-H, an inner central wedge J and a retainer bolt K.

The casting A is preferably formed with a rectangular box-like shell at its front or outer end, thus providing opposed side friction surfaces 18-18, the same preferably converging slightly inwardly of the shell. Rearwardly of the friction shell proper, the casting A is made more or less cylindrical as indicated at 19 to 'form a spring cage and centering device for the spring B, the cage portion 19 beinO suitably strengthened by flanges and ribs, as will be understood. The rear end of the casting cooperates with the stop lugs 12 in the manner of a rear follower.

The friction shoes C are two in number and of like construction. Each is provided on the outer side thereof with a longitudinally extending friction surface 2O cooperable with the corresponding shell surface 18 and on the inner side thereof with an inclined wedge face 21. Each shoe C is also preferably provided with top and bottom horizontally extending wings 22-22.y the latter however not being used as friction-generating surfaces. .t its inner end, each shoe C is formed with a shoulder 23 for the purpose hereinafter described;

rlhe wedgeD consists of a heavy block with an outer flat surface 211 which normally bears against the front follower 16. The main wedge Dis also provided with two inwardly converging wedge faces 25-25 cooperable withthe wedge faces 21 of the shoes. At itsy inner end, the wedge D has a transverse flat face 26 and is recessed on the interior with stepped cylindrical openings 27 and 28, thus providing an outwardly facing annular shoulder 29,

The pressure-transmitting plunger E is of stepped cylindrical form having an outer sectionvBO and an inner section 31 of lesser diameter` thus providing an inwardly facing shoulder 32 adapted to cooperate with the shoulder 29. The plunger E is of at which timev the annular shoulders 29 and 32 will be in engagement as shown in Figure l.

p The Vmember G is of rectangular `outline having top and bottom horizontally extending` walls 34"-34 and `vertically extending side walls 355-35. The latter are rabbeted or cut away on `the 'forward side ofthe member G so as to yprovide shoulders 36-36 against .vhic'h the inner ends 23 of the shoes (l 'bea-r, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. "On their interiors, the side walls 35 of the frame or follower member G are beveled so as to present rearwardly diyerging wedge faces 371-37. clearly appears from Figures 1 and 7, the member G has a suihciently large opening 38 therethrough to freely accommodate the wedge J.

'The two auxiliary wedges-H are of like construction, each extending vertically and having rearwardly diverging wedge faces 39 and t0 on their forward sides and llat transversely extending faces lll on their rear sides. the latter bearing on the spring follower l?. The ;\vedge faces 39 cooperate with the wedge faces 3'? of the member Gi. The other wedge faces l0 cooperate with correspondingly inclined wedge faces l2-4t2 on the auxiliary we( ge J. The front face 43 of the` latter rbears against the inner end ofthe plunger E.

The operationis as follows, assuming an inward or buling movement of the drawbar and starting from the ,normal condition of the parts as shown in'Figure l. As the drawbar and front follower move inwardly, the plunger E and main wedge D will be forced rearwardly simultaneously and uniformly therewith. During this compression stroke. it will be .obseiwed that the resistance from the spring B is transmitted in part through the wedges l-l and follower (l vto the shoes C and in part through said wedges H and the wedgefJ to the `plunger' E without any of the spring resistance being transferred directly to the wedge D. The relative positions of the friction elements remain the same during thecompression stroke` the limit `ofwhich is determined preferably by the follower 16 enwith the outer end .of the casting A. Upon removal. or discontinuance of the actuating force, the plunger E is relieved of any substantial amount of pressure and, being freely movable within the mainvwedge D, is adapted 'to be easily projected out- `wardlywith respect tol the main wedge D.

Therefore, at the initiation `of the release action, the frictlon shoes being in tight engage'ment with the shell and the main wedge D in comparatively tight engagement with the slicesI` the lirst action arising under the ,expansion of the spring B is to force the auxiliary wedges H forwardly along the outwardly converging wedge faces 37 of the member (i. rllhis movement of the wedges H in turn forces the central auxiliary wedge J outwardly, the latter encountering substantially no resistance from .the plunger E until finally the centralauxiliary wedge J engages the .inner end 26 of the main wedge this condition of the parts being shown inV Figure Not only is a part of the spring press-ure thus transferred to the main wedge D in what may be termed a substantially direct manner. but the action serves to give a sharp lriclr or jolt to the main wedge D, thus facilitating its disengagement from the shoes sufliciently to allow the we( jre-shoe system to collapse, all of the parts then being pushed .outwardly until the plunger E brought to rest by engagement with the front follower 1G when the latter is against the front stops. At this point in the release action, the `shoes and the wedge will continue theiroutward movement while `the plunger E remains stationary until the condition of the parts is restored in Figure l.

l have herein shown and described what I non" conside-r the preferred manner of carrying out the invention but the same `is merely Villustrative and l contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

l claim:

l. ln a friction shock absorbingmechanism. the combination with a friction shell; of friction shoes cooperable with the shell; a spring; y :i wedge Vcooperable with said slices: a shoe follower; and means interposed between said shoe follower and wedge cooperable to relieve the wedge of direct resistance from the spring' during a compression stroke and to automatically, upon discontinuance of the actuating force after a compression movement7 transfer' part of the spring pressure to said wedge in a-direction longitudinally outward of the shell and supplemental yto any spring resistance transferred to the wedge through the friction shoes.

2. ln a friction shock absorbing mecha nism` the combination with a friction shell:

of friction shoes engageable with the shell; `a spring; said shoes a spring follower; a preswedge during the compression stroke, said means, upon discontinuance of the actuating force after a compression movement, automatically shifting positions to distribute the spring pressure to the wedge and shoes at the initiation of the release action.

in a friction shock absorbing mechanism; the combination with a friction shell; of friction shoes cooperable with the shell; a spring; a wedge cooperable with said shoes; a. shoe follower; a pressure-transmitting plunger; said plunger and wedge being arranged to directly receive 'the actuating force; and means interposed between the plunger, shoes and spring arranged to distribute the spring resistance to the shoes and plunger independently of the wedge during the compression stroke, said means, upon discontinuance of the actuating force after a compression movement, automatically shifting positions to distribute the spring pressure to the wedge and shoes, at the initiation of the release action, said means including a spring follower and a plurality of wedges.

4. ln a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell; of friction shoes cooperable with the shell; a spring; a wedge cooperable with said shoes; a shoe follower; a pressure-transmitting plunger arranged to move longitudinally independently o-f the wedge, the plunger and wedge being adapted to directly receive the actuating force; and means interposed between said follower, spring resistance, wedge and plunger operable to relieve the wedge of direct resistance from the spring during the compression strolre and arranged, upon release action; to automatically7 transfer part of the spring pressure to said wedge in a direction longitudinally outwardly of the shell.

5. ln a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell; of friction shoes cooperable with the shell; a spring; a wedge cooperable with said shoes; a spring follower; a pressure-transmitting plunger arranged to move longitudinally independently of the wedge, the plunger and wedge being adapt-ed to directly receive the actuating force; and means interposed between said spring follower, shoes, wedge and plunger operable to relieve the wedge of direct resistance from the spring during the compression stroke and arranged, upon release action, to automatically transfer part of the spring pressure to said wedge in a direction longitudinally outwardly of the shell; said means including, a wedge follower engageable with the shoes, and a plurality of wedges interposed between the spring follower, the wedge shoe follower and the plunger.

6. ln a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell having interior friction surf-aces; of friction shoes cooperable with said surfaces; a main wedge cooperable with said slices; a pressure-transmitting plunger longitudinally movable a limited distance with respect to said main wedge and of greater length than the latter; a spring resistance; wedge-shoe follower engaging the inner ends of the shoes; a spring follower; and a plurality of wedges interposed between said spring follower, the shoe follower and the inner end of said plunger.

7. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism; the combination with a friction shell having interior friction surfaces; of friction shoes cooperable with said surfaces; a main wedge cooperable with said shoes; a pressure-transmitting plunger longitudinally movable a limited distance with respect to said main wedge and of greater length f than the latter; a spring resistance; a wedge shoe follower engaging the inner ends of the shoes; a spring follower; a central auxiliary wedge at the inner end of said plunger; and a pair of laterally and longitudinally movable wedges cooperable with. said central auxiliary wedge and the wedge faces of said shoe follower, said pair of wedges engaging the spring follower.

ln witness that l claim the foregoing l have hereunto subscribed my name this 14th day of November, 1921.

JOHN F.' OCONNQR.

Witnesses:

UNA C. GRIGSBY, ANN BAKER. 

